Shahd Alhamdan
Saudi Gazette
RIYADH — Many of this year's visitors to the annual Riyadh International Book Fair have been clearly impressed by the performance of young ushers and their work and attitudes.
Ushers at the fair, held at Riyadh’s International Convention and Exhibition Center, provide visitors with bookmarks and stamp invoices of sold books after taking copies from the invoices.
Both male and female ushers, aged between 18 and their mid 30s, help attendees and answer their questions.
Around 350 young ushers were selected to participate over the ten days of the exhibition after they completed a training course, and have been dedicated in their work, running efficiently throughout the day and night. “I am very proud of those young Saudis. They are working hard and helped us locate different areas of the fair.
“They are good representatives,” one visitor, Sarah, said.
One usher in her early 20s, Muneera Althubaity, explained that most visitors are happy with the ushers' work, and some of the visitors said they would come back.
The ushers' work began a week before the start of the exhibition, and they will receive a token salary at the end of the exhibition.
Those with outstanding performance and attitude get extra compensation as a reward.
The supervisor of the ushers, Jawaher Al-Sehaily, said that visitors liked the ushers' work and their help as team, while some people showed their eagerness to become an usher in the coming events.
